


just you and me

by neopunch (caihongs)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gift Giving, M/M, Teen Romance, dejun being in love with jeno, overuse of the words loser and pretty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:02:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21984883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caihongs/pseuds/neopunch
Summary: On a day like this, where those who celebrate, do it by spending it with their loved ones, showing their appreciation through the act of gift-giving, sharing food and stories, and watching cheesy Hallmark channel movies until the clock hits twelve, the first person he thinks about spending it with is Jeno.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun
Comments: 16
Kudos: 57





	just you and me

**Author's Note:**

> i really must emphasise, there is major overuse of the word 'loser'. 
> 
> songs i listened to while writing:  
> psycho - red velvet  
> sugarplum elegy - niki  
> golden - harry styles  
> see you again - tyler the creator + kali uchis
> 
> enjoy!!

Dejun was such a loser.

A big fat loser for Jeno Lee. 

He was quite possibly the prettiest freshman he had ever laid his eyes on, with that floppy brown hair and those glasses sitting atop the bridge of his nice, auspicious nose. He wore muscle tees and sweats 24/7 and won dance competitions every other month. Not to mention he was a total nerd— a proud Mathlete and took to AP Stats and Calc like a duck to water. He also bit anything that came remotely near his mouth and was a total sucker for cats. 

Dejun was the biggest loser for Jeno Lee, it was truly appalling. 

Yet, somehow, he found himself in said Jeno Lee’s arms, watching the Sound of Music under Dejun’s duvet. Like they’re a couple of boys in love who just happen to have a mutual appreciation for Julie Andrews.

  
  


“What are you thinking about?”

  
  


“You,” Dejun says resignedly, and Jeno taps the space bar to pause the movie, a smug smile hanging off his lips.

  
  


“You do that often, do you?”

  
  


“Too often,” Dejun turns around to put his index finger on the underside of his boyfriend’s chin.

  
  


“Gross,” Jeno lets his sly smile evolve into a full fledged award-winning smile as takes his hand and wraps his substantially larger one around it. He’s a little clammy but Dejun doesn’t mind—it reminds him that Jeno is actually human.

  
  


“Thanks, Yangyang makes an effort to tell me everyday,” 

  
  


“Even though him and Jaemin are fused together by the lips?” 

  
  


“That’s what  _ I  _ said! He’s so annoying, I can’t believe we have the same parents,”

  
  


Liesl’s rendezvous with Rolf is soon forgotten as Jeno giggles and lets go of Dejun’s hand in favour of pinching his cheeks.

  
  


“If it means anything, I think you’re the favourite child,” Dejun laughs soullessly at that.

  
  


“You’re a bad liar but thank you for trying to make me feel better.” The setting sun casts shards of orange light onto Jeno’s face and again, Dejun is painfully reminded of how beautiful he is. More proof for the ‘Dejun is a total loser’ agenda.

  
  


“Hey, I mean my mum loves you almost as much as she does Doyoung hyung and the cats,”

  
  


“And that’s more than enough for me,” Dejun shuffles up the bed to prop his back against the headboard and pulls the laptop closer. Jeno follows suite and Dejun settles into what he calls the Groove. The headrest he’s made for himself since they started saying ‘I love you bro’ in a non-platonic way, where Jeno’s neck connects into his shoulder and his collarbone protrudes. It’s wide enough for Dejun to nestle his head, the tops of his blonde hair tickling the side of Jeno’s cheek. It’s his undisputed Spot and he knows Jeno knows by the way he always snuffles his hair when they’re like this, and compliments his grapefruit scented shampoo every time. 

  
  


As Rolf calls Liesl a baby, Dejun claps his hands together like a giddy child, unaware of how wide his smile is or the fact that Jeno is staring at him very intently.

  
  


“Now you have to sing Sixteen Going on Seventeen with me otherwise we’re breaking up— why are you looking at me like that?” Jeno is now smirking, eyes locked onto Dejun’s and the intensity of his stare is making Dejun sweat.

  
  


“Like what?” 

  
  


“Like you want to eat me,”

  
  


Jeno only shrugs and leans forward until Dejun hits the wall, foxy smile still plastered all over his face.

  
  


“Well—“

  
  


“Have some decency Jeno Lee, my parents are making hotpot for you!” 

  
  


Jeno breaks his gaze, eyes creasing as he giggles into his arm and Dejun is so so in love, it’s devastating. 

  
  


“Right, can I still kiss you though?”

  
  


Dejun leans in and presses a kiss onto Jeno’s mouth, hands finding their way to his cheeks. Jeno’s lips upturn when he feels Dejun cup his face a little tighter, and holds his waist in his hands in return.

  
  


“Okay is that enough for you horndog?” Dejun says, breath just catching up to him and Jeno looks at him, lips slick and eyes trained on Dejun.

  
  


“Nope, but we can wait till after marriage Dej’ if that’s what you want,” 

  
  


The way and speed that Dejun colours red is embarrassing, mouth unable to form a response to that but Jeno only grins, nuzzling his nose into Dejun’s neck before pressing play and mumbling along to the song. They’re two seventeen year old boys with a shared adoration for Julie Andrews and not a clue as to what lies ahead, but if Jeno wants Dejun’s kids, what is Dejun going to do? Say no?

  
  
  


Dejun’s parents watch in trepidation as Jeno slurps up his portion, getting a large piece of noodle stuck to the corner of his lip, and Dejun wipes it off with his finger absentmindedly. His father raises his eyebrows and Dejun feels like a victim in his own household. Victim of Jeno Lee, indirect and direct. His mum chuckles before she spoons another heap of soup into Jeno’s bowl and tells him to eat up. 

  
  


Jeno even offers to wash the dishes and threatens to fight Dejun’s mother if she doesn’t let him, which goes about as well as Dejun expects it to go. Jeno is assigned to dry the dishes while Dejun fights his own mother so he can wash them. Dejun refuses to let his parents wash the dishes anyway, but his mother and boyfriend alone is a recipe for disaster. So when she finally concedes, pinching his cheek with a sly smile on his face before she joins her husband on the couch as they watch the latest episode of the TVB drama they’ve got themselves hooked on, Dejun lets out a tiny prayer and starts to sud up the sponge.

  
  


“So, it’s just me and you huh,”

  
  


“Shut up,” Dejun bumps his hip into his boyfriend’s, rolling his eyes as he passes him the first plate.

  
  


Jeno only laughs and bumps him back, and before they know it, they’re engaged in a dishwashing soap fight. Jeno has two globs of soap on each cheek and the soap on Dejun’s head drenches the ends of his bleached hair. 

  
  


“You’re so annoying!” Dejun says with absolutely no bite, grinning as he passes the last bowl and Jeno dries it up quickly before dropping the dish rag and wrapping his arms around Dejun.

  
  


“And what are you gonna do about it hm?” 

“Make you wait until Christmas Day to open your present, is what I’ll do,” Jeno drops his hands immediately and sinks to the ground.

  
  


“ _ Dejunnnnnn _ ,” Jeno writhes on the floor like a wriggling worm and it’s first, terribly unhygienic, second, stupidly cute. Jeno is patient, concerningly so, except for when receiving gifts. The boy cannot wait to tear his teeth into wrapped presents or to find out what someone is hiding behind their backs, which he cannot and will not guess what it is and will simply tackle you for it. Dejun isn’t the only one subjected to this aggression, the same is experienced by their friends when the holiday season comes about and Kris Kringle is at the top of their agenda. Everyone who gets Jeno makes a forlorn expression when they open up their folded paper, and it’s pretty easy to guess from then on. 

  
  


But this year is especially important because it’s their first Christmas together as boyfriends. Nothing has changed drastically, but Dejun really wants this to be special. So if he needs to practise restraints on his nuthead boyfriend, so be it.

  
  


“You can’t do that to me, you  _ know _ I can’t stand waiting!” Dejun stands firm, rubber gloved hands on his hips.

  
  


“Watch me Jeno, you have two more days.” A Christmas ad starts to play on the television, an excited Hong Kong actor promoting the latest technological device to the tune of Sleigh Ride and Jeno’s lips form the biggest pout, eyebrows furrowed.

  
  


“Fine, you’re lucky I love you,”

  
  


“Yeah yeah, now do you need a ride home? I can drive you,” Dejun wipes his hands on his jeans and hauls his boyfriend off the ground in a total struggle. Tiny Dejun trying to lift up Beefy Jeno is a sight to behold. 

  
  


“No it’s okay, I’ll walk home,” 

  
  


“No it’s dark outside! I’ll drive you, let me grab the keys—” Dejun runs up to the mantle to grab the car keys off the hook and Jeno grabs his wrist before the elder can open the front door.

  
  


“You’re running out of gas and it’s literally a five minute walk, I’ll be  _ fine  _ Dejun,” but Dejun is already halfway through the door, yelling out to his parents that ‘ _ I’m going to take Jeno home, be back in five! _ ’ 

  
  


“Too late, I literally have my key in the ignition,” Dejun says as he drags his boyfriend to the blue Mazda 3. Jeno scrunches up his nose before he gets into the passenger seat.

  
  


“You’re the annoying one,” Jeno says as he wraps his hand around Dejun’s when he puts the car in reverse. 

  
  


“Not annoying, just safe,” Dejun’s ‘winter szn’ Spotify playlist starts to play and Falling by Harry Styles seeps out of the speakers.

  
  


“I know, thank you Dejun.” The car ride is usually short but Dejun drives slower than usual because of the wet road and the ride becomes at least two minutes longer. Two minutes that Jeno uses to twist around to face Dejun and asks him to pull up a few houses before Jeno’s.

  
  


“What’s up? Did you forget something?” Dejun parks the car in front of someone’s white picket fence.

  
  


“No, just wanted to say thank you, for caring about me and protecting me,” Jeno says with a soft smile on his face, hands wrapped around Dejun’s hand on the gearstick. 

  
  


“Jeno we’re dating, you’re my boyfriend so I care about you and protect you because I love you, you never have to thank me for that,” Dejun takes his hand off the wheel to put it on top of Jeno’s. The younger has a tendency to show gratitude for things that he doesn’t need to, whether it’s driving him back home so he doesn’t have to walk home in the dark by himself. Or whether Jeno’s having a tough day and Dejun rushes to his side because he wants to. Not out of a duty as if it’s a chore. Jeno cares and protects him just as much as Dejun does for him. 

  
  


“I know, but you don’t need to, I can take care of myself, I’m a big boy,” he says, but Dejun knows what is being left unsaid.

Dejun is only a year older than Jeno, but Dejun knows that Jeno feels inadequate. Just because Dejun has his driver’s license and knows what college and course he’s aiming for and is working hard towards his own future, doesn’t mean he’s going to leave Jeno out of it. Yet, it remains at the forefront of his boyfriend’s mind and he hates that it does. Dejun is still Jeno’s number one Loser and is content with being that for the rest of their lives whether Jeno knows it or not. 

  
  


“Jeno—”

  
  


“I love you Dejun, and I can’t wait to open my present in two days time,” Jeno presses a wet kiss to his cheek before he gets out of the car and jogs up to his own white picket fence and waves goodbye. 

  
  


Dejun just sighs, feeling utterly defeated as he waits for Jeno to unlock his front door and enter his house before he makes a U-turn and drives back home. 

  
  


—

Dejun takes his time wrapping up Jeno’s present. Not because he wants to, it’s because it’s a guitar and that has more curves than he ever realised and the difficulty he’s having is ridiculous. 

  
  


Jeno had been eyeing this electric guitar since they’d started dating, walking past the music store on their first date and taking a prolonged pause in front of the display. A Strat, Dejun learned as Jeno had mentioned, was what Jeno was determined to save up for and purchase. Jeno had been working hard at the local diner as a waiter, saving up a portion of it each week to buy it and the rest he used to spoil Dejun, to Dejun’s disdain. So it was Dejun’s turn to spoil Jeno. It was glossy and beautiful and probably what Jeno saw in his dreams so he was going to open it on Christmas Day and that was an order. 

  
  


“ _ Son! Jeno is outside! _ ” Doesn’t Jeno have dance practice right now? If not, he has to meet with the Mathlete Team for their holiday competition. If Jeno is skipping any of the two, Dejun will have words. 

  
  


“ _ Coming! _ ” Dejun dashes down the stairs to find Jeno with a lopsided grin on his face,  _ clearly  _ hiding something behind his back.

  
  


“What are you doing here, don’t you have to be at practice?” Dejun frowns, because he knows Jeno always teases that he’ll drop all of his co-curriculars if it means spending more time with Dejun, but he’s never acted on it.

  
  


“I know, I know, I told Renjun I’m running five minutes late but I couldn’t wait to give this to you,” Jeno brings a box out from behind him and shoves it into Dejun’s hands. It’s wrapped in candy cane wrapping paper and has telltale Jeno scrawl in the corner that reads ‘To: My white-haired angel, Merry Christmas, Love: your Jeno’

  
  


“Open it!” Jeno’s hands shake in anticipation and Dejun instead, hides the present behind his back.

  
  


“Go to practice! I’ll open this  _ tomorrow  _ on  _ Christmas Day _ ,” Dejun says resolutely and Jeno lets out a whine.

  
  


“C’mon Dej’! I am running late for dance because of you and Renjun is going to have my ass! You have to open it,” Jeno pleads but Dejun shakes his head and threatens to close the door on his boyfriend.

  
  


“And that’s my fault? Go to practice and text me when you’re done so I can pick you up and we can get dinner together,” Dejun says with finality and Jeno goes back to pouting before he turns around and goes down the steps reluctantly. 

  
  


“Don’t sulk you baby! I’ll see you tonight okay?” Dejun yells and Jeno only waves his hand in response, retreating figure hunching further and further as he gets on his bike and starts to cycle down the street.

  
  


A total baby. Dejun is dating a five year old, truly.

  
  


Although this present might drive him mad, he hides it underneath his bed and gets back to wrapping Jeno’s guitar. The guitar case provides little to no help in making the process easier and Dejun contemplates tying a red ribbon around the neck of the guitar and calling it a day. But he as he sits in a bed of green and red wrapping paper carcasses, it’s truly too late to back out now.

  
  


—

  
  


**The Gay-dy Bunch**

**_xiaojun_ **

_ merry christmas ya filthy animals _

**_injun_ **

_ merry capitalism guys! can’t wait to give you all _

_ your presents xx _

**_nana_ **

_ merry christmas to you too cynical asshole _

_ n merry christmas dejun ily  _

**_rudolph’s jeno-se_ **

_ merry crimbo you guys can’t believe _

_ no one changed their nickname for the _

_ festive season way to kill the christmas  _

_ spirit you guys _

**_yang_ ** **_²_ **

_ you’re just a victim of the christmas spirit  _

_ it’s okay we’re all here for you  _

**_kendrick lee-mark_ **

_ sorry guys just finished mass  _

_ merry christmas to you guys _

_ hope the big guy gave you presents  _

_ even though you’re all terrible people _

**_donghyuck lee-gend_ **

_ guys stream my dad’s christmas album _

_ ‘A Legendary Christmas’  _

**_flucas_ **

_ still got the flu sorry won’t be able to come  _

_ out today but merry christmas losers <3 _

**_he(ge)ndery_ **

_ you guys want pie? mum made a tonne and  _

_ i have like seven tupperware boxes _

  
  


Jeno’s Christmas present stands tall beside his doorframe and Dejun waits for the boy to text him that he’s outside. They’ve got a Christmas get-together tonight with the whole Gay-dy Brunch but Jeno and him have decided to open presents at Dejun’s house in the afternoon. Jeno’s parents are currently on their Christmas getaway and his sister is spending the day with her boyfriend’s family so Dejun insisted that they hang out before. Not that they weren’t going to before, but there’s only so much time Jeno should spend alone with his cats before it gets serious.

  
  


**_nerd <3 _ **

_ i’m outside!  _

  
  


Dejun almost stacks it down the stairs but regains his balance as he slides his way to the front door, careful not to knock down the decorative elves his dad put in the hallway.

  
  


“Hey you, come in,” Jeno replies with a peck to the cheek and shucks off his Vans before he skips to the kitchen.

  
  


“Hi Mr and Mrs Xiao! Merry Christmas! My parents recommended that I brought over wine for your dinner tonight.” Wow, Jeno 1, Dejun 0. Of course his boyfriend trumps him on Christmas Day, as if he isn’t already the favourite child. Yangyang has been bumped to third place because he’s spent the last three days at Jaemin’s house.

  
  


“Oh Jeno, you shouldn’t have! What did  _ you  _ bring for our dinner tonight hm Dejun? While you and Yangyang leave poor Dad and I alone on Christmas,  _ hm? _ ” Goddamn Jeno Lee. 

  
  


“It’s okay, Dejun’s trying his best,” Jeno teases, pinching his boyfriend on the cheek and Dejun’s dad chuckles, twisting the wine bottle in his hand.

  
  


“Okay you lovebirds go upstairs before his mother and I keep grilling him,” 

  
  


Dejun grabs Jeno by the wrist and yanks him up the stairs. Freaking Jeno Lee. 

  
  


“You are  _ so annoying _ ,” 

  
  


“I do try my best Dej’,” Jeno grins, jumping onto his bed with his eyes closed, as directed by Dejun the day before at dinner.

  
  


“ _ Anyways _ , your gift is really big so I guess you can open your eyes now,” Dejun hauls the guitar off the wall and into his arms flat.

  
  


Jeno stares at the guitar shaped gift, in wrinkly green and red striped paper with a red ribbon around the neck and stares back up at Dejun with bated breath. 

  
  


“You  _ didn’t _ , Dejun this is too much!” Jeno looks about two seconds out from bursting into tears as he tears apart the wrapping paper with gentle fingers.

  
  


“Anything for you Jen’.” When Jeno gets to the frets and the neck of the Strat, he throws his hands around Dejun’s neck and presses kisses all over his face. Dejun has tinted lip balm marks all over his face now but it’s totally worth it. 

  
  


“Thank you so much Dejun, I love it,” Jeno peels away any remaining gift wrap and holds the guitar upright, soaking in its glossy beauty.

  
  


“Is this the one from the store?”

  
  


“The exact one,” Dejun replies with a proud grin. Now, seeing Jeno as happy as this is truly the best thing Dejun could receive this Christmas. 

  
  


“I- wow, I hope you like your present as much as I liked mine,” Jeno looks around to spot the candy cane wrapped box and Dejun reaches under his bed for it. 

  
  


“You know I’d like anything you gave me,” 

  
  


Jeno frowns, but sets down his guitar and bites his lip as Dejun takes off the first piece of sticky tape.

  
  


He sees ‘Rode’ and promptly loses his shit.

  
  


“Jeno! No, you did not, baby this is—” 

  
  


Now Dejun’s honey vocals are no hidden secret. He’s done his fair share of talent shows and school festivals, but apart from practicing in his bedroom with his own acoustic guitar, he’s never had the means to record and make music to the quality he’s always wanted. But when Jeno sees Dejun’s eyes light up, sparks of lightning in his dark orbs, he’d say that Dejun is on his way to becoming the next Youtube breakthrough artist. 

  
  


“Jeno, thank you so much,” and it’s his turn to wrap his arms around Jeno and nuzzle his nose into his neck before pressing a kiss there.

  
  


“We’re on our way to being the next Us the Duo, just you wait until I learn how to beatbox,” Jeno grins as he places the microphone next to his guitar and Dejun snorts.

  
  


“Right, because that’s the only thing we’re missing,” Dejun stares back at the microphone and at his boyfriend, who rolls his eyes in response.

  
  


Then, they kind of stare at each other for another minute or so. 

  
  


Jeno is the pretty freshman with the brains and the brawn to cuff any girl or boy he liked. Yet almost a year ago, he got all of their friends to sing ‘We Go Together’ from Grease in the school field, ending with him holding a bent rose in his hand, courtesy of Yangyang breaking it in his backpack, asking Dejun if he would be his boyfriend. Ballsy for a freshman who was still perpetually twelve in Dejun’s eyes, and Dejun said no. Sure, he was the biggest loser for his little brother’s friend, which was embarrassing in middle school, but Jeno was the one who had been silently crushing on him this entire time as well and only had the guts just as his first year in high school begun, to confess. Dejun knew Jeno was a catch but he was not too appealing when he hadn’t even mustered the courage to talk to him this entire time. Yangyang’s birthday parties was the only time they’d ever spoken before that, and that was just Dejun asking Jeno how school was going. 

It was embarrassing, and still to this day, Dejun doesn’t bring it up in case Jeno vomits out of mortification. Yet Jeno had gone home with his head down, wilted flower in hand, and asked Dejun out for lunch the week after. Persistence was thriving in this boy, so it took three months until Dejun finally asked Jeno if he’d be his boyfriend. Jeno might have teared up a little when Dejun pulled out a rose from his bag, in perfect condition, and said yes. 

Now they’re both seventeen, with Dejun in his last year of high school and Jeno in his second. In reality, he’s only nine months older and again, Dejun doesn’t care for and protect Jeno because he’s older. Sure it plays a factor but it’s not the main reason, not by a long shot. It’s because, on a day like this, where those who celebrate, do it by spending it with their loved ones, showing their appreciation through the act of gift-giving, sharing food and stories, and watching cheesy Hallmark channel movies until the clock hits twelve, the first person he thinks about spending it with is Jeno. Dejun knows that Jeno knows this, but it’s hard to believe in something when you’re constantly reminded that in a few months time, one of you will leave and it’s one whole year without seeing them every single day like you have for the past year. It’s the unsettling feeling that they’ll forget about you when they surround themselves with like-minded individuals who study the same subjects and attend the same lectures and join the same clubs. Jeno is a rational human being, Dejun can attest to that, but really, he couldn’t imagine loving someone that wasn’t Jeno Lee. Sure college has cool people, but again, to reiterate for emphasis’ sake, Dejun Xiao is a loser for Jeno Lee  _ only _ . 

Plus, they’ve been going great for what feels like a long time, and it feels nice knowing that Mr Pretty Freshman is a big loser for Dejun too. Jeno only cares so much about this, because he wants to make Dejun feel like way he does. Dejun knows that Jeno would move the oceans if he asked for it, and sometimes he wonders why. Behind his love for musical movies and his talent in singing, Dejun doesn’t think there’s much else, but Jeno proves him wrong every single day. He entertains his philosophical rants, watches those musicals with him, has buttered up Dejun’s parents so much so that he’s an honorary Xiao, and makes loving him way too easy. Dejun could wax poetic about how handsome and smart and altruistic his boyfriend is but Jeno could do the same, maybe even beat him at it. 

Sure he’s a big loser for pretty Jeno Lee, but he’s pretty confident that Jeno Lee is an equal loser for him.

  
  


“What are you thinking about?” Jeno asks, cocking his head to the side.

  
  


“You,” Dejun says, and Jeno’s eyes curve up in that trademark Jeno-Lee moon shape as he grabs both of Dejun’s hands and presses a kiss to each.

  
  


“Hm, I was doing the same thing.”

**Author's Note:**

> first and foremost, merry christmas and/or happy holidays everyone! i hope everyone had a lovely day on wednesday and y'all streamed coming home by nct four seasons.
> 
> this idea has been stuck in my head ever since, i dunno, dejun looked at jeno on the show? and they side-hugged? forgive me for being such a rarepair abyss but dejun and jeno could be something i swear! also, after doing weishenfest + 00ff i've been drained but this was an easy write for me so i hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> lots of love,  
> oaf
> 
> p.s you know what time it is, favourite line?


End file.
